Corrugated cushion roll



Sept, 8, 1953 w. F. MOGRAW 2,651,398

CORRUGATED CUSHION ROLL Filed April 21, 1949 -WLL/AM EM E'AW w ww afW

Patented Sept. 8, 1 953 z,65i;39 ,3 CORRUGATED CUSHION-HOLLY William F.McGraw, Detroit, Mich; assignorto j,

Detroit, Mich, a' corporationofMichigan i Mn en ment 1949, s rial N8.8.82. j F

The present invention relates tojimprpvements in self-cleaning cushionions and bumpers particularly designed for the handling of materialswhich are susceptible to being marred or denting by rough handling.

In the automotive industry, the sheet metal panels making up theexterior of the automobile must be handled with great care if anexcessive amount of rework and refinishing is to be avoided. During thecourse of fabrication and finishing, these panels are handled a greatmany times. First in the unformed sheet state, then into and out of theforming presses. Thereafter they are handled many times in the finishingand leading up to the final assembly line.

Heretofore both hard and sponge rubber rolls have been employed forcushioning and conveying material. The contour of the rolls hasgenerally been either crown or cylindrical. While some form of ribs onthe surface of the roll have been used, the shape and construction hasbeen such as to be completely lacking in any selfcleaning properties orof possessing the degree of cushioning and softness required to obtainthe desired freedom from marring, scratching and denting of the conveyedparts which are very roughly handled by the fabricating operators.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a resilientconveying roll or bumper, which may be of any suitable resilient andflexible material, for example, natural or synthetic rubber, soconstructed and arranged that the supporting surface of the roller issoft, resilient and flexible and under the action of the supported loadhas a self cleaning character.

Another object is to provide a conveying roll or bumper of the typedescribed consisting of a series of closely arranged and taperedperipheral fins so constructed and arranged to avoid to a great extentthe accumulation of foreign and abrasive matters upon the peripheralcrown at each fin and at the same time have an inh rent self-cleaningmotion under the rolling and supporting action while in use.

A further object and advantage of the present invention is provided inan improved soft cushion roll for conveying and bumper purposescomprising a corrugated surface formed by a plurality of relatively thinflexible fins.

These and other objects and advantages residing in the specificconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts will more fullyappear from a consideration of the following specification and theappended claim.

In the drawings,

' f Fig. I' is' a planned view of arch embodying the principles of. thepresent invnt ion and. partly shownin'vertical cross'sec'tion,"

Fig. If is an end view on a reduced scale of Fig. I,

Fig. III shows the deflection of the fins under a supported load,

Fig. IV shows the present invention being used on opposite sides of alarge panel die for assisting in the conveying of the sheet metal stripinto the die before forming and from the die after forming, and

Fig. V is an end view of a conveying arrangement in which the conveyingrolls are complementary to the surface of the article being conveyed.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. I the principles of the presentinvention are shown applied to a molded rubber roll Ill vulcanized to asheet metal sleeve It in which the bearing I5 is preferably pressfitted. A bolt l6 clamps the bearing M to the support structure l8through the use of a suitable spacer 20. It is to be understood,however, that the present invention resides in the surface constructionof the roller and that any suitable mounting structure may be employed.

As more clearly shown in Fig. I, the molded rubber roll I0 is preferablyprovided with a solid molded intermediate body portion 2 with which theperipheral tapered fins 24 are integrally molded. To avoid anaccumulation of foreign and abrasive matter, the outer edge of each fin24 is preferably crowned as at 26. The tapered construction of each fin24 provides a groove 28 between each fin 24 the sides thereof convergingoutwardly.

In practice, a natural or synthetic roll molded with a softness not toexceed a Shore durameter reading of 33 points has been foundsatisfactory for handling material loads capable of being manuallymanipulated. The fins ar spaced approximately inch with a radial depthof approximately inch.

As more clearly shown in Fig. III, the deflection of the fins under aload causes a progressive wave action of each fin as the roll rotatesupon its axis. It is this action which gives the roll l0 itsself-cleaning characteristic, assisted by the tapered construction ofthe fins and the crowned outer edges 26.

Fig. IV shows the roll I0 handling a sheet 3!! being inserted betweenthe punch 32 and die 34 from th conveyor 36/ In-Fig. V a panel 38 isshown supported and conveyed by the rolls II] with the fins ther of be-3 ing indicated as deflected by the supported weight.

Iclaim:

A cushion conveyor and bumper r011 characterized by its self-cleaningaction under conditions of deflection by the supported load comprising arubber body to receive an axle about which the roll is rotatablymounted, a plurality of narrow, slightly tapered rubber radial finsintegral with. said body, the radial height of said fins beingsubstantially greater than the basal width of said fins, said fins beingaxially spaced with the annular peripheral edge of each fin being substantially pointed and collectively defining the peripheral supportingsurface of the roll, the rubber of said fins being of a consistencyprovidme said fins with structural characteristics resulting in saidfins being readily deflected by the supported load for which the roll isdesigned to displace the peripheral edges of said fins in an axialdirection shifting the point of load support slightly to one side of thepointed peripheral edge '4 of each fin whereby a wiping action takesplace across the peripheral edge of each fin as rolling support is giventhe load to obviate accumulation of foreign matter upon the peripheralsurface of the roll, adjacent fins defining narrow V-grooves which aredistorted upon axial deflection of said fins under load tending todislodge any accumulation of foreign matter in said grooves, theresiliency of said fins returning said fins to their normal radialposition following deflection by the load.

WILLIAM F. MCGRAW.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 149,645 Egery Apr. 14, 1874 2,052,900 Searles et alSept. 1, 1936 2,169,624 Weiss et al Aug. 15, 1939 2,271,166 Weiss Jan.2'7, 1942 2,423,407 Searles et a1. July 1, 1947

